Author: Hunanian Jack

AFI Fest coverage presented by AFI DALLAS International Film Festival
Presented by Target, Founding Sponsor Victory Park
by Eugene Hernandez (November 12, 2006)
One week after announcing its U.S. distribution deal at the American Film
Market, Jasmila Zbanic’s "Grbavica: The Land of My Dreams" won the narrative
grand jury prize at AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival. Winner of
the Golden Bear at the Berlinale in February, the film is Bosnia and
Herzegovina’s official entry for the 2006 Best Foreign Language Film Academy
Award and Strand Releasing is planning a 2007 release of the acclaimed
feature film. Set in a contemporary Sarajevo still reeling from the
aftermath of war, the film is the story of a single mother who lives with
her rebellious twelve-year-old daughter in the Grbavica district of
Sarajevo, a neighborhood used as an internment camp during the conflict in
the nineties. Unable to survive on government aid and hoping to provide for
her daughter, she takes a day job in a shoe factory and a night job as a
waitress in order to pay for her daughter’s school trip, and along the way,
her daughter discovers a dark secret. The jury singled out Peter Schonau
Fog’s "The Art of Crying" with a special mention at the festival.

International films and international stories were honored with all of the
feature prizes at a festival that has distinguished itself as a key showcase
for new international work. And on Sunday night in Hollywood the world
premiere of Zhang Yimou’s anticipated "Curse of the Golden Flower" closed
the festival one month prior to its domestic release from Sony Pictures
Classics.
"Foreign language feaures are hard [to bring] to the United States," said
"Grbavica" director Jasmila Zbanic, thanking the festival for its focus on
foreign language films Sunday, while accepting her prize, "AFI is giving a
chance for people to see foreign language feature films [and] doing a very
great job bringing us together."
Mark Verkerk’s "Buddha’s Lost Children" was awarded the documentary grand
jury prize. It is the story of a Thai boxing champion’s journey to save
childen from the impoverished Golden Triangle region of the country. The
jury presented a special mention to J.B. Rutagarama’s "Back Home."
The audience award for best documentary was shared by Carla Garapedian’s
"Screamers" and Lucy Walker’s "Blindsight" (tie, documentary). "Screamers"
looks at rock band System of a Down’s battle to preserve the memory of the
Armenian genocide, while "Blindsight" offers a moving chronicle of a group
of Tibetan blind children’s quest to climb Mt. Everest. The prize will boost
the coming release of "Screamers," which will be distributed by Maya
Releasing, while Walker’s well-received "Blindsight" is still seeking a U.S.
deal as it lines up other key festival dates for early next year. Among
narrative films, Switzerland’s Oscar foreign language entry "Vitus," by
Fredi M. Murer, won the audience award.
Short fim award winners included Stephanie Burke’s "Disappearing" winning
the grand jury prize, with a special mention to Chris Shepherd for "Silence
Is Golden" and Michael Dreher’s "Fair Trade" winning the short film audience
award.
Chatting casually with indieWIRE Sunday afternoon shortly after the awards
brunch, Variety correspondent Robert Koehler found it noteworthy that the
American Film Institute’s festival has developed such a distinct focus on
world cinema, given that AFI was founded in 1967, in the words of the
organization, "to train the next generation of filmmakers and to preserve
America’s fast-disappearing film heritage." In other words, U.S. president
Lyndon Johnson and AFI founders (George Stevens, Jr., Gregory Peck, Francis
Ford Coppola, Jack Valenti and others) sought to counter the rise of cinema
from overseas.
AFI Fest certainly offered an eclectic mix of films, but the sixteen best
foreign langauge Oscar submissions and a handful of documentaries seemed to
be the best received movies on the nearly 150 film roster. The event drew
good-sized crowds to its Hollywood screenings, despite the constant
challenges of making a film event stand out in this busy movie town.
Industry response to the festival, however, was muted at best, with insiders
only appearing for showcase screeings of previously acquired films they were
launching at the fest.
Despite a continually hyped partnership between AFI Fest and the American
Film Market in Santa Monica, industry attendees seemed to stay out west near
Santa Monica, skipping AFI Fest screenings, but catching some of its films
at AFM showings. Finding a way to lure more insiders to events in Hollywood
would seem to be a key challenge for festival organizers, and a number of
observers noted that adding a third screening of competition films or repeat
showings of higher profile new work for the second half of the festival
might lure some industry types once AFM wraps up at AFI Fest’s midpint. This
would offer attendees a chance to catch the films that generated the most
buzz.

Armenpress

ANTI-TRUST BODY QUESTIONS STATISTICS OF MACARONI
IMPORTERS AND PRODUCERS

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS: A state anti-trust
body has questioned the statistics of some local
companies dealing with production and import of
macaroni. The state commission on protection of
economic competition said yesterday it did not believe
that every Armenian consumed last year only 1.8 kg of
macaroni products, as claimed by these companies.
The chairman of the commission, Ashot Shahnazarian,
said according to figures, registered several years
ago, each Armenian consumed at least 5 kg of only
domestically made macaroni let alone the imported
ones. Shahnazarian said the commission will ask the
state customs service to give its explanations.
According to this statistic, 32 percent of all
imported macaronis came last year from Italy, Russia
accounted for 54 percent and other countries for 14
percent. Overall 3,316 tons of macaroni were brought
from other countries and 2,781 tons were produced
locally. The biggest seller of macaroni was a joint
Armenian-American company called AAFPC which accounted
for 30 percent of sales of all imported and home-made
macaroni.

A1+

AZERBAIJANI DEMOCRACY
[02:12 pm] 10 November, 2006

Several Azeri experts think that the period of the
authorizations of the President must be prolonged.

According to the acting Constitution, the period of
the authorizations of the President is five years.
Nevertheless, the experts came to the conclusion that
for a society like the Azeri one five years is too
short a period or the President to manage to realize
all his plans. Of course, the issue must be discussed
in the Parliament and be stipulated in the
Constitution.

`It is convenient to prolong the period of the
authorizations of the President’, announced Parliament
Speaker Mamed Alizade, Azeri Mass Media report.

Great Britain is Prepared to Assist OSCE Minsk Group in Nagorno-Karabakh Situation

TREND, Azerbaijan
Nov 9 2006

Great Britain is prepared to assist the OSCE Minsk Group with regards
to the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, the Special Envoy of Great Britain for
South Caucasus, Bryan Fall, stated on 8 November in Yerevan during
the meeting with the Armenian Defense Minister, Serj Sarkisyan,
Trend reports with reference to News-Armenia.

"Fall informed the Armenian Minister that Great Britain was
prepared to assist the OSCE Minsk Group to peacefully resolve the
Armenian-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict," the Press Secretary
of the Armenian Defense Minister, Colonel Seyran Shakhsuvaryan,
informed News-Armenia quoting Fall.

According to him, the negotiators discussed the meeting of the
Azerbaijani and Armenian Defense Ministers held on 20 October in the
Ijevan-Gazakh section of the Azerbaijani-Armenian Defense Ministers
pointing out the benefits of the mutual meetings between both parties
in maintaining the ceasefire regime.

During the meeting, Fall also remarked upon the fact that the
conference "South Caucasus: perception and challenges" organized by
the British Center "Wilson Park" for the first time in this region,
is held in Armenia.

The participants of the 3-day conference which began on 7 November
discussed the problems and possibilities of South Caucasus, as well
as the tasks of the government and entrepreneurs in developing the
economy and stimulating the investments.

RUSSIAN, AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENTS TO MEET FOR FOURTH TIME THIS YEAR
By Judith Ingram, Associated Press Writer

Associated Press Worldstream
November 9, 2006 Thursday 2:05 PM GMT

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliev
on Thursday hailed their countries’ burgeoning economic ties, amid
signs of concern from Moscow about its southern neighbor’s improving
relations with the West.

"Our bilateral relationship has reached the highest level since we
got independence," Aliev said at the start of the two leaders’ fourth
meeting this year. "It is necessary to continue cooperation … It
will help not only to strengthen ties between Russia and Azerbaijan,
but also stabilize the situation in the region as a whole."

Azerbaijan, a former Soviet republic, is the starting-point for a
newly-completed U.S.-backed pipeline that transports Caspian oil to
Western markets bypassing Russia. It also sent troops to serve in
the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq.

Aliev arrived in Moscow after a trip to Brussels, where he and NATO
leaders discussed energy security. Earlier this year, he got a warm
White House welcome from U.S. President George W. Bush.

Russia’s Kommersant daily said Moscow was worried that Azerbaijan would
be making more military purchases in NATO countries as it builds up
its armed forces and ultimately building a "strategic relationship"
with the Western alliance and even allowing NATO and the United States
to use its military bases.

Kommersant, citing unnamed sources close to the Kremlin, said Putin
would offer Aliev a deeper strategic relationship with Russia by
allowing it to purchase cheaper Russian weapons something that had
been blocked earlier by Moscow’s desire to keep Azerbaijan from
strengthening its military at the expense of Russia’s main ally in
the Caucasus, Armenia.

"Evidently the creation of a united front … against Georgia is more
important for Russia: The main topic of negotiations is supposed to
be Azerbaijan’s participation in an energy blockade against Georgia
in winter 2006-2007," Kommersant wrote.

Russia’s Gazprom natural gas monopoly said last week that it was
seeking to double the price Georgia pays for gas; Georgia accused
Moscow of "political blackmail" and said it would look for alternate
suppliers, including Azerbaijan.

Kommersant said Putin would also offer investments in Azerbaijan by
the Russian aluminum giant OAO Rusal and RAO Unified Energy Systems.

Putin said that Russian-Azerbaijani trade had grown by half already
this year over the same period in 2005, and he predicted it would
double within a year or two.

"We have very extensive bilateral relationships (with Azerbaijan)
in the political field, international affairs and the economy,"
Putin said.

Putin and Aliev were expected to discuss developments in the
Caucasus Mountains region, including the prolonged dispute over
Nagorno-Karabakh, the Kremlin said ahead of the meeting.

The disputed territory in Azerbaijan has been under the control of
Armenian and ethnic Armenian Karabakh forces since a 1994 cease-fire
ended a six-year separatist war that killed about 30,000 people and
drove about 1 million from their homes. The region’s final status
has not been worked out, and years of talks under the auspices of
international mediators have brought few visible results.

November 9, 2006

PRESS RELEASE
Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate
6252 Honolulu Avenue
La Crescenta, CA 91214
Tel: (818) 248-7737
Fax: (818) 248-7745
E-mail: [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>
Website: <;

Prelate Welcomes New Consul General Of Armenia
Armen Liloyan

On Thursday, November 9, H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian,
Prelate, welcomed the newly appointed Consul General of Armenia in Los
Angeles Armen Liloyan to the temporary Prelacy offices in Encino. This was
one of the first official visits of the Consul General, who was appointed in
late October, to the Prelacy to meet with the Prelate and Executive Council
representatives.
Accompanying the Consul General was Consul Haroutioun Khojoyan.
Also in attendance were Very Rev. Fr. Barthev Gulumian, Archpriest Fr.
Vicken Vassilian, Rev. Razmig Khatchadourian, Executive Council Chairman Dr.
Garo Agopian and Treasurer Mr. Vahan Bezdikian, as well as Ferrahian High
School principal Mr. John Kossakian.
During the meeting, the Prelate briefed the Consul General on
the history of our Prelacy, churches, and schools, the publications of the
Prelacy (textbooks and religious publications), and the endeavors of the
Christian Education Department. He also emphasized the collaboration that
exists between the Prelacy and Armenian diplomats, both in Los Angeles and
in Washington D.C., at the same time renewing his support to the Consulate
and their endeavors.
The Prelate then once again offered his best wishes to the
Consul General on the 15th anniversary of the independence of Armenia,
noting that he was fortunate to be in Armenia at the time to participate in
the celebrations, and also in Washington D.C. at the celebration hosted by
the Ambassador.
The Consul General subsequently reported to the Prelate the
current and future ventures of the Consulate.
The meeting concluded with the Prelate presenting the Consul
General with a memento, and wishing him success in his mission.

DIVISIONS OF ARMENIAN ARMED FORCES BROKE CEASEFIRE REGIME AGAIN
Author: Sh.Jaliloglu

TREND< Azerbaijan
Nov 8 2006

On November 7, the divisions of the Armenian Armed Forces shot the
positions of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces with machine-guns the whole
day. The enemy was made silent with response shots, Trend Regional
Correspondent reports.

It should be mentioned that the explosions are heard often in
the Azerbaijani territories occupied by Armenians, but the local
inhabitants do not know the reasons of the explosions.

ARMENIA ACCEPTS POLAND’S MEDIATION PROPOSAL

Mediamax News Agency, Armenia
Nov 7 2006

Yerevan, 7 November: Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan said in
Yerevan today that Armenia had positively responded to a proposal from
the Polish Foreign Ministry which said that it was ready to represent
Armenia’s interests in Turkey and Turkey’s interests in Armenia.

Answering a question from Mediamax in Yerevan today, Oskanyan said
that the Polish Foreign Ministry had put forward the proposal about
two months earlier. He also said that Turkey had not yet responded
to the Polish Foreign Ministry’s proposal.

The Armenian foreign minister recalled that Armenia is the only member
country of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization (BSECO)
which has its representative office in Istanbul.

"We did it specially in order to have an Armenian diplomat in Turkey
through whom we could maintain contact," Oskanyan noted.

THE DAYS OF NKR TO BE HELD IN RA

DeFacto Agency, Armenia
Nov 8 2006

The days of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic’s culture will be held in
RA in November.

The opening ceremony of the Days of the NKR culture in Armenia will
be held November 13 at the Sundukian National Academic Theatre in
Yerevan. The measures will also take place in the towns of Abovian,
Artashat and Echmiadzin. The public will enjoy Artsakh’s best state
ensembles and orchestras. The Karabakh painters’ works will also be
exhibited within the frames of the Days of the NKR culture in RA.

YURI MERZLYAKOV: CO-CHAIRS HAVE NO AGREEMENT ON NAGORNO GARABAGH REFERENDUM

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Nov 7 2006

"We have no agreement on Nagorno Garabagh referendum, we will have
discussions on the eve of the Azerbaijani and Armenian ministers’
meeting on November 14 in Brussels and determine our position on the
referendum," OSCE Minsk Group co-chair Yuri Merzlyakov told the APA.

The referendum on Constitution will be held in Nagorno Garabagh on
December 10. There is a special paragraph in the constitution to be
accepted by referendum on separatist Nagorno Garabagh regime.

Foreign Ministry Press and Information Policy Department Tahir
Tagizadeh told the APA world community and OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs
should estimate Nagorno Garabagh puppet regime unambiguously.

"For Azerbaijan everything is clear – these actions are realized
by illegal regime, contradicts the Azerbaijani Constitution
and international legislative norms and can not influence peace
negotiations as to its features," he said. The diplomat considers
that the steps made by illegitimate regime can not achieve legal
results.